wJul 5, 2006


Romanticism

Today, during my break at work, I opted to purchase two of my favorite movies because the DVDs were on sale (Love Actually and Pride & Prejudice). While fishing my debit card out of my Hello Kitty wallet, I set down my book, which I had with me because I spend my breaks reading, on the small shelf attached to each register for customers. The cashier scowls at me. "You read?" "Yes," I answer nervously, wondering whether being literate is no longer in fashion. "Reading is useless," she says, handing my receipt and turning to the next customer in line. I consider this as I can barely contain myself, running up the stairs to the break room to read Pride and Prejudice during the last five minutes of my break.

I have read voraciously for as long as I can remember. Is it really useless? Not for me. Aside from doubtlessly sharpening a person's wit and expanding their horizons, literature has been my only constant companion. It is my primary source of escape from life. When my mind begins to crash, as it sometimes does, I know that nothing will carry me through it as completely as a good book.

Maybe it is useless, but it's who I am. Kind of like majoring in Political Science and English - a lot of people say it's useless, but it's who I am. So I intend to stay true to that and find a way to kick ass. All I need is enough money to feed myself and pay for necessary things like insurance and an apartment. I certainly have enough books to sustain me for quite some time, and with a good library to supplement my habits, I would be set.

Maybe I am useless, but I am my own person.

Yesterday, I began reading "Evangeline" for a second time (synopsis). I think it was in 7th grade when I read it for the first time. I remember reading the Prologue in English class and being so enamored with it that I searched the entire middle school library for it. I was dejected to find that it wasn't carried. On a whim, I went downstairs in my house and found it on a bookshelf built into the wall. I read all 60 pages within a few days and fell in love with it. I normally despise poetry that follows a meter and 19th century poetry in general, but there's something about Evangeline that made me love it.

THIS is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

...Ye who believe in affection that hopes, and endures, and is patient,
Ye who believe in the beauty and strength of woman’s devotion,
List to the mournful tradition, still sung by the pines of the forest;
List to a Tale of Love in Acadie, home of the happy.


I feel like a romantic sap lately - between reading that, Pride and Prejudice, and now rewatching Honey & Clover while watching H&C's new season (I love the new opening theme!), I am beginning to feel familiar twangs of loneliness of lack-of-a-relationship-since-forever. Every girl needs a Mr. Darcy of her own. But at this point, I'd be desperate enough to settle for Wickham.

Current Music: random fireworks still being shot off
scribbled mystickeeper at 1:06 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:

I'm sure saying reading is useless to you really made the customer behind you feel welcome in the store. It isn't useless and neither are your majors, don't worry about it, everyone else is just jealous. ;)

By Blogger Dave, at 9:18 AM, July 05, 2006  

A message from Fr. John:

How are you! Life is exciting for me now in the country - I have just been named pastor of a fourth parish! Three more and I get to be a monsignor. (I wish..) Anyway, I am simply packed with trying to get this fourth parish up to date and in line with my other three. My summer is kind of gone before it's started. Could we meet in the Fall as a group or perhaps Christmas? Sorry to put you all off, I just have too much stuff on my plate right now.
Say hello to everyone and know of my prayers.

By Blogger Unknown, at 3:47 PM, July 05, 2006  

Maybe it's a ShopKo thing...I always read during my breaks too, and I've gotten some comments on it: "What are you doing? Is that a...book?" It seems to surprise people that I a) choose to read, and b) choose to read something other than the cheap magazines they have out on the break table. But being a fellow book-adorer, I've got to say there's just something thrilling and satisfying about opening up a book. Yum, I think I'm going to go read right now...

By Blogger Jenny, at 4:39 PM, July 05, 2006  

I'll never forget one day when I was sitting in my 8th grade english class. The teacher gave us free time so most of the kids were talking and wasting time, but I whipped out the notebook in which I began to work on writing my third epic novel (none of the three have ever been finished to this day). A boy who I'd always considered rather studious and right-minded came over and asked what I was doing. When I told him, he immediately asked, "For what class?" When I told him it wasn't for class he dropped his jaw in awe and said, "What? For FUN? You're writing for FUN?" The rest of the world just does nothing, I guess. The funny thing is that between the three of us, you, Gordon, and I, we have reading, writing, and arithmetic. All for fun.

Down to business, where would I be without Jackie? I came to your blog initially just to request that you catch me up in current events. I passed CNN today and realized I don't know anything that's been going on. Please explain -and remember, nothing is too common knowledge for me to not have heard about it.

By Blogger Steph, at 5:05 PM, July 05, 2006  

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By Blogger Steph, at 5:06 PM, July 05, 2006  

Explanation: I accidentally posted my comment twice because it told me it failed and hadn't loaded the page. It lied.

By Blogger Steph, at 5:08 PM, July 05, 2006  

man love actually is a great movie.

once, i was on a bus, and when i looked in my backpack for a book, i realized that i didn't have one, for the first time in my life, and i nearly had a stroke.

By Blogger uriah heep, at 5:30 PM, July 05, 2006  

Good God, 7 comments and it hasn't even been 24 hours since I made this post!

*is loved*

Dave: Thank you for reaffirming that I'm not useless, although I kind of doubt the jealousy - unless, of course, it's regarding that I'm The Hottest Girl Alive.

Ryan: Aww, Father John! That would really kind of suck - being in charge of three parishes is bad enough, but four?! Oh well, if anyone can do it, it's him. As for visiting him - seeing him over Christmas would be the cutest thing EVER!!! Although, fall could work too. Now that I'll have my car in Madison, I can like, go places. And stuff. I wonder how far it is from there? We'll have to discuss it with Carrie when we see her and make plans.

Jennifer: It could indeed be a ShopKo thing. Idiotic things have a tendency to happen there, :P Too bad we're not at the same store - we could find solace in each other during break time, lol.

Steph: OMG, you, me, and Gordon could combine and be TEH ULTIMATE somehow. As for current events? Hmmm....Ken Lay died today, the former CEO of Enron. So he died before he got sentenced, I believe. What a whore. Also, North Korea decided, "Hey! We don't have any allies, but it's a really good idea to test our missiles even though nobody wants us to!" So they did. And everyone, especially Japan, was like, OH NO YOU DIDN'T and called a special Security Council meeting today. Speaking of Japan, did you see the stories about how the Prime Minister came to the United States? President Bush took him to Graceland because he's a huge Elvis fan, and there is footage of the PM of Japan singing Elvis songs on camera. I LOVE JAPAN.

marc - OMG, I never go anywhere without a book except for every once in a very great while, and I have the same reaction. Waiting in a line without a book is the worst thing ever.

By Blogger mystickeeper, at 6:48 PM, July 05, 2006  

Steph, I should also probably add to your news update that Israel has been kicking the shit out of Palestinians in Gaza. The rest of the world is just kind of hanging out, waiting to see what happens.

By Blogger mystickeeper, at 11:16 PM, July 05, 2006  

Creighton,
I'M TRYING, HOKAI?!

Your comment amuses me muchly.

By Blogger mystickeeper, at 4:45 PM, July 06, 2006  

Uwaiiii!! reading is not useless. Starting at the television is useless and trivial. Reading makes you think. TV makes you zone out.

*kicks silly shopko person*

By Blogger Tas, at 9:17 AM, July 08, 2006  

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